Bangladesh opener Tanzid Hasan Tamim justified the team management’s confidence in him by scoring his maiden ODI century, a knock that played a decisive role in the hosts clinching the three-match series 2-1 against Pakistan.
Tanzid reached the milestone with a towering six, a shot that highlighted his readiness to target deliveries in his preferred scoring areas. His celebration suggested a mix of satisfaction and relief after delivering when it mattered most.
The innings also helped silence criticism surrounding his selection ahead of the more experienced Soumya Sarkar. Despite a match-winning 91 against West Indies in October, Sarkar did not feature in the playing XI during the series.
Bangladesh had continued to back Tanzid even after he missed out in the West Indies series, with captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz emphasising that the opener deserved a consistent run following recent improvements in his game.
“Tanzid Tamim is a very talented player. And I believe that the way he plays cricket, he should be scoring runs on most days. That is what I think. And if he scores runs, it will be a great help for the team. And look at the way he has batted, so I definitely feel his areas are being worked upon,” said Mehidy.
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“And look, he didn’t play in the last series. But from the BPL onwards to our recent tournament, he was a top performer there too, and he scored a century in the practice match. Meaning he is in great rhythm and very confident.”
Captain’s backing proves decisive
Mehidy underlined the importance of allowing players time to establish themselves at the international level.
“What we are trying to do is ensure that whoever gets the opportunity, especially in the case of batsmen, gets more opportunities so they can realize for themselves that if they play poorly, they might have to leave their spot and give it to someone else,” he said.
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The skipper’s trust was rewarded as Tanzid compiled a fluent 107 from 107 deliveries, striking six fours and seven sixes before being caught at cover off Abrar Ahmed.
Reflecting on the milestone, Tanzid described the innings as particularly meaningful and highlighted a challenging phase when Pakistan’s fast bowlers generated reverse swing.
“The first century is always special, Alhamdulillah,” said Tanzid. “I tried to play as long as possible on the wicket because for the first 20 overs the ball was coming onto the bat normally. But after 20 overs, as the ball got older, it wasn’t coming as easily.”
“At that time the ball was reversing a bit. So I was discussing it with [Najmul Hossain] Shanto bhai. He told me that those two or three overs were very important and it would become easier after that. So I tried to survive that phase and play carefully.”
Tanzid, who had earlier scored an unbeaten 67 off 42 balls in Bangladesh’s chase of 114 in the first ODI, added that he was certain about the shot that brought up his hundred.
“I was clear-minded. Without a clear mind, no one plays such a risky shot at such a time and what I felt was that it would be good, and I went with my decision,” he said.
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Opposition acknowledges impact
Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson acknowledged the opener’s ability to capitalise on scoring opportunities.
“Look, he fed off anything that we missed. When we bowled too straight, he picked it off nicely. When we bowled a little bit wide, he hit it through the offside,” said Hesson.
“So he was quite relentless in terms of if you missed your line, he was going to take advantage of it.”
The innings, shaped by measured accumulation through the middle overs and calculated aggression when chances presented themselves, marked a significant milestone in Tanzid’s emerging international career.
